Senior Human Resource Manager

Ella Baker Center for Human Rights•Oakland, CA

7d•Onsite

About The Position

The Ella Baker Center for Human Rights (EBC) is seeking a Senior Human Resources Manager to support the development and implementation of HR strategies. This high-impact role will be instrumental in promoting a workplace culture that centers EBC’s mission, vision, and values, while ensuring an optimal employee experience. The Senior Human Resources Manager will be responsible for building strategies, systems, and processes that drive growth and align with the mission, vision, and values of the Ella Baker Center. As a member of the Administrative Team, this position will support leadership in ensuring the organization has the right people, systems, and processes to meet its goals and drive impact. Key functions include recruitment, retention, performance management, professional development, compensation and benefits, and employee engagement. This role serves as an internal expert in California employment law and labor relations, ensuring compliance and consistent policy application. It will also lead post-collective bargaining agreement implementation by translating contract provisions into organizational systems, policies, and practices.

Requirements

Must be able to remain in a stationary position at least 50% of the time.
Needs to be able to move about inside the office to access file cabinets, office machinery, etc.
Constantly operates a computer and other office productivity machinery, such as a calculator, copy machine, and printer.
This position needs to be able to use a telephone and communicate with staff, vendors and other members of the public.
Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Organizational Development, or a related field preferred; SHRM-CP, PHR, or equivalent certification a plus.
Minimum of 5–7 years of Human Resources experience, including employee relations, compliance, and HR processes.
Working knowledge of office productivity software (MS Office Suite) is required.
Working knowledge of California employment law and employment regulations.
Experience supporting employee relations matters, federal law, conflict resolution and performance management.
Experience with payroll systems preferred-QuickBooks a plus.
Ability to multitask and handle competing demands; prioritize and manage focus and productivity effectively; ability to manage time and meet deadlines.
Ability to work independently and demonstrate strong initiative and leadership.
Excellent writing, editing, proofing and verbal skills.
Ability to handle confidential and sensitive information with sound judgment and discretion.
High level of interpersonal skills to handle time-sensitive and confidential situations with professionalism.
Superior organizational skills, and the ability to create, implement, and maintain systems to improve the efficiency of the office.
Ability to work independently and demonstrate initiative.
Proficiency in Mac interfaces and all Microsoft Office applications.
Familiarity with and commitment to racial and social justice; a clear understanding of EBC’s mission and programs.

Nice To Haves

Experience in customer service or account management is a plus.
Nonprofit experience and bilingual skills are a plus.

Responsibilities

Manage the administration of human resource programs including HRIS, compensation, benefits, and leaves.
Provide proactive leadership and professional expertise in all areas of human resources management, including benefits, payroll, employee relations, compliance, and performance for full-time employees and contractors.
Maintain knowledge of trends, best practices, regulatory changes, and new technologies in human resources, talent management, and employment law to ensure regulatory compliance.
Research, develop, and implement periodic competitive compensation, benefits, performance appraisal, and employee incentive programs, including compensation benchmarking.
Audit, review, refine, and ensure individual and collective accountability to Ella Baker Center’s policies, procedures, and processes.
Support organizational leaders and managers with training and organization-wide staffing strategy, ensuring clear hiring goals and varied recruitment strategies.
Work with managers to help define, establish, and communicate annual goals for team members, and ensure progress tracking.
Support the organizational strategic planning process around human resource management, talent acquisition, compliance, risk management, and fiscal accountability.
Collaborate with the Administrative Team to identify and manage consultants for initiatives focused on culture, wellness, and engagement (restorative justice, wellness program, training plan).
Serve as the primary internal advisor to leadership on complex HR, compliance, and employee relations matters.
Lead the implementation of collective bargaining agreement provisions across organizational systems and practices.
Identify gaps between current practices and legal or contractual requirements and implement solutions.
Formulate and recommend personnel policies, procedures, and objectives to the senior management team.
Determine and recommend employee engagement practices to establish a positive employer-employee relationship and promote high staff engagement.
Create systems to collect and review staff feedback and conduct internal reviews for organizational learning and improvement.
Work with staff and managers to foster a welcoming environment that centers Ella Baker Center’s values.
Coordinate management training in interviewing, hiring, terminations, performance management, safety, sexual harassment, and other relevant programs.
Ensure training aligns with organizational policies, compliance requirements, and best practices.
Assist managers with facilitating employee relations conversations of a sensitive nature, helping to resolve conflicts or disputes.
Provide guidance to managers on handling sensitive employee relations matters consistently, equitably, and legally.
Communicate and ensure all staff individually and collectively follow and are accountable to Ella Baker Center’s policies and procedures (e.g., Overtime protocols, Sick Donation Policy, Sabbatical Policy, Unpaid Leave Policy).
Monitor and address inconsistencies in policy enforcement to reduce organizational risk.
Ensure compliance with all employment laws and continually research and implement best practices for recruitment and hiring processes.
Evaluate recruitment processes on an ongoing basis, report findings, and make recommendations for improvements.
Serve as a trusted advisor to hiring managers to support informed recruiting decisions and effective onboarding.
Support the development and implementation of onboarding practices that promote staff retention and long-term success.
Work with the Administrative Team to facilitate recruitment efforts, including updating job descriptions, posting positions, and scheduling interviews.
Co-develop and refine performance evaluation processes to enable managers to provide meaningful and actionable reviews.
Collaborate with managers to develop systems and strategies for ongoing staff and professional development that drive continuous learning.
Collaboratively work with the Administrative Team to identify training opportunities to drive increased impact.
Oversee and coordinate onboarding processes to ensure all administrative and system access needs are completed prior to or on an employee’s start date.
Serve as point person for documenting grievances, disciplinary processes, and internal investigations.
Ensure compliance with workplace laws, claims, and regulations, including discrimination and employment-related claims.
Serve as the primary contact for benefits providers and support benefits administration, negotiating rates and overseeing payments.
Ensure regular review, updates, and implementation of the Employee Handbook and Onboarding Guide.
Serve as a backup administrator with Finance for payroll and retirement plan administration.
In collaboration with the Director of Finance, support with internal and external audits (workers comp, 403b, and financial audits).
Assist the Finance team with processing payroll.
Work collectively with the Director of Finance to manage the employee Resiliency and Wellness Program.
Manage and troubleshoot phone and email access – contract renewals, administrative contract renewals.
Ensure the functioning, ordering, and maintenance of office equipment with the support of the Administrative Coordinator.
Serve as the co-liaison (alongside EBC’s Administrative Coordinator) for IT setup and administrative support.